US, Pakistan foster open dialogue through education: official

US counsellor for public affairs says steps for exchange of delegations will be taken to boost mutual cooperation

ISLAMABAD: United States Embassy Minister Counselor for Public Affairs Lisa K Heller has said that steps for exchange of delegations will be taken to boost mutual cooperation between International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) and the United States (US).

According to an MoU singed, both sides will cooperate at LCI for cultural events, educational exchange programmes and alumni activities.

"Lincoln Corner Islamabad (LCI) demonstrates the continued partnership between Pakistan and the United States and our shared commitment to fostering open dialogue through educational opportunities,” said Heller.

Her comment came at time when IIUI and Embassy of the United States in Pakistan have vowed to enhance bilateral cooperation through a jointly built Lincoln Corner and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday.

A ceremony in this regard was held at the Faisal Masjid campus of the university, where IIUI President Dr Ahmed Yousif Al-Draiweesh, signed the document on behalf of IIUI, while Lisa K. Heller, Minister Counselor for Public Affairs signed it on behalf of the US embassy.

Established in 2006, Lincoln's Corner at IIUI is a partnership between the IIUI and the American Embassy. It is a resource center and event space for providing a platform for open dialogue between Pakistanis and Americans to promote mutual understanding and strengthen people-to-people ties.

"This is an important opportunity for learning and collaboration between IIUI students and students at American universities," Al-Draiweesh said.

"We look forward to seeing the fruits of this continuing collaboration," he added. He also thanked the embassy for continuous cooperation.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2019.